A point in time when momentum for change becomes unstoppable.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Digial Signage: Waiting For The Tipping Point
A point in time when momentum for change becomes unstoppable.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Using Google SketchUp For Digital Signage Project Development
I have spent a lot of time using all sorts of 3D CAD software designing everything from small handheld products to full blown 100’ x 100’ trade show exhibits, so I was a bit skeptical when I finally got around to trying out SketchUp, a free 3D CAD software application from Google. Ever since Alias Sketch! was cancelled it has been difficult to find a quick and easy replacement to create 3D models on a Mac, but to my surprise I was impressed. Now SketchUp doesn’t have the rendering engine to generate incredible 3D photorealistic images like Alias Sketch! did, but it does good enough and includes texture mapping and animation capabilities ideal for doing an interior fly through of a proposed Digital Signage installation. SkecthUp also does not have the sculpting ability that other 3D CAD applications have to create complex organic shapes, but for modeling 3D store interiors, kiosks and merchandising fixtures it’s a breeze. In addition, thanks to Google’s efforts to model all the worlds’ architecture with SketchUp in Google Maps, there is a HUGE repository of all sorts of SketchUp 3D models available for free download. Using this library helps add detail and accuracy to your models quick and easily. Google SketchUp is currently available for free or a fee but with all the functionality packed into the free version there is plenty you can do at no charge. More consultants and integrators specializing in digital signage should use SketchUp to help avoid common miscommunications with clients in advance of those costly and time-consuming on-site installation misunderstandings.
Monday, September 14, 2009
GET may do for Digital Signage too (Good Enough Tech)
In addition to being green, mass transit does have other advantages to driving yourself to the office. For example, you can read something interesting too. A good read on my commute to NYC this morning came from the recent issue of WIRED magazine. From netbooks to Flip camcorders, sometimes the low cost simple tech is good enough to transform an entire industry, trading power or fidelity in exchange for low price, flexibility, and convenience. Case in point, using Google SketchUp in new and interesting ways (more on this to follow). Can you think of many Digital Signage solutions that GET the it? I can. Drop me an email if you would like to find out more.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Infographics Worth 1000's Of Words
While your customers might not dwell long enough to delve into graphically rich information displayed on your digital sign, a well designed infographic can draw your attention and explain complex information quickly and easily through the use of graphics and visuals instead of lots and lots of text. A treasure trove of examples have been archived by the folks at Good Magazine on Flickr here. And the grandfather of the infographic Richard Saul Wurman published a great compilation from industry leading designers called Understanding USA.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Digital Sign Networks Step #2 Content Content Content
A couple of mantras to consider posting on your creative directors wall or better yet, anybody's wall who develops your digital signage content or thinks they now how to design effective and compelling content for Digital Signage networks:
Monday, July 27, 2009
Digital Sign Networks Step #1 Location Location Location
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Scalable Vector Graphics To The Digital Signage Rescue?
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), is a language that describes a drawing based on the points and shapes that compose them so they can be displayed in any resolution as clearly as possible. Compared to pixel graphics like clipart using BMP or JPEG formats, SVG is typically a smaller files size and requires less CPU power for play back. It is also royalty free and an open standard. Developers can build and add functionality to an SVG file. Programming (scripting and event support) can be used as a platform to build graphically rich applications and user interfaces. SpinetiX, based in Switzerland, has done this with a new digital signage solution. In the process they have created one of the smallest hardware players in the industry along with one of the best warranties, lifetime. Their tiny Hyper Media Player (HMP) come with a Win PC authoring tool (The Hyper Media Director, HMD) so you do not need to be an SVG programming wiz to create content to distribute to your HMP (using either internet or a removable thumb drive). In a marketplace where many solutions are available and similar, SpinetiX is a breath of fresh air, an innovative and exciting new solution. XML & Javascript gurus of the world: sign-up now for your free trial version.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Infocomm 2009: Digital Signage Recap
Attendance was down and exhibitors scaled back (like every show this year), but digital signage is growing. The Digital Signage showcase area of the expo floor is taking up more and more space at this annual show, the premier event for the Professional AV industry, with more and more affordable solutions. My quick take:
1. Still a lot of companies. There are a lot of digital signage companies competing for market share. Differentiation is the key. When will attrition and or the mergers begin?
2. Say hello to Atom. The new Intel Atom processor is now appearing in commercial-grade media players for digital signage in the $500 price range. Atom based consumer-grade netbooks with more then adequate video output capabilities are already available for $250.
3. Easy content creation for networked signage. FrameMedia has been offering the FrameChannel content management service for wireless photo frame owners for over 3 years now. With SignChannel, a $15/month business solution, hundreds of channels of content (news, weather, sports, financial data, etc) along with editable templates for professional looking content on your digital sign is now affordable and easy to do.
4. Do you want live TV content with your signage? Roku/BrightSign had several new product announcements. In particular, a live video module that connects to a BrightSign player lets you display live TV in a predefined zone. The total price for this solution will be less than $1,000, a new and more affordable low.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Barrier To Entry Has Been Removed
Monday, June 8, 2009
Digital Signage & The Great White Way
New York City is a great barometer of established and emerging trends. A walk around Time Square and then towards the Empire State Building reveals that Digital Signage in foodservice has taken hold. Flat panel displays can be found in many restaurants as enitre menu boards, in hybrid menu boards (combining static menus with a flat panel display), or as promotional signage in portrait mode advertising daily specials. The entire menu board array is quite impressive and in some cases incorporates automatic changes based on inventory, environmental or price control triggers. Still pretty much state-of-theart stuff. Short term however a simple mpg/jpg player and inexpensive flat panel display is a way to benefit from some of the same advantages the state-of-the-art solution offers (improved efficiency, sales revenue, customer experience, brand impression, etc) but a much less cost.
Friday, May 15, 2009
K&G Digital Signage, The New Black
K&G, a value oritented fashion superstore, recently launched an ad campaign that pokes fun at high priced departent stores and promotes that K&G offers the same clothes as department stores, but at much lower prices. While walking in NYC I came across their flagship store (across from the Chrysler Building) and saw about 6 displays in their window being use more like a prop then a digital sign (pictured above). Not exactly sure why, perhaps K&G thinks digital signage is exorbitantly expensive and is only viable for use in over priced departmetn stores? If so, K&G needs to have someone come in and educate them about how many good inexpensive "value oritented" digital signage solutions are available in the market place today. Any other ideas?
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Caught In A Bind About Aspect Ratio & Size?
One of the keys to prepping and designing screen layouts for digital signage is to size your content accurately from a pixel size and aspect ratio point of view. The sooner you do this in the development phase the better. That way less time is spent fixing and modifying things later because you are either working in the wrong pixel dimensions or aspect ratio. A couple of great tools I use is this Video Resolutions Chart (pictured above) and Andrew Hedge’s Aspect Ratio Calculator.
And should you ever be on-site somewhere and be without your ruler you can print one out from here (keep in mind printer accuracy may vary).
Thursday, April 30, 2009
To Ticker, Flipper, Scroll or Crawl...Or Not At All, Part Deux
Friday, April 24, 2009
I Spy Something Wrong With This Digital Sign
#1. Let's print out a message from the PC and tape it on the digital sign. Why? Hopefully people are looking at the digital sign while they wait for their 1/4lb of smoked turkey breast. I would venture to guess that unfortunately, this digital signage solution is simply inaccessible to the end-user and too complicated for store level managers to operate and printing a sign with their PC was easier. It doesn't have to be this way. If you would like to manage content, be able to change certain parts or pieces of the digital sign, or modify a playlist with an unscheduled special offer, then an appropriate easy-to-use solution should have been specified.
#2. You can drive a truck through the black area around the image and the physical bezel around the flat panel display. This is either a problem with the output/player hardware communicating to the display or the display not synching properly to the output/player hardware. Either way, it appears nobody has trained the staff on how to troubleshoot this problem or nobody is monitoring the status of this location on the network.
#3. Now serving, #75. Again with the appropriate digital signage solution a clerk at the counter can advance a counter and the order number being served can advance on the digital sign, or at least install them next to each other so people will watch what is on the digital sign too. An on-site assessment is essential for all digital sign installations and should have been done and at least revealed this opportunity to improve upon the current situation.
#4. And then there are all of those other pieces of paper taped above the "Now Serving" sign. Well those are just for store employees, but perhaps they could be placed in a little less conspicuous location next time.